Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has announced his plan to assemble a legal team to initiate proceedings against the oil companies responsible for the extensive pollution and abandonment of their host communities in the Niger Delta region.
Speaking at the 30th Memorial Lecture for Ken Saro-Wiwa in Port Harcourt, Falana stressed that the very communities whose resources power Nigeria’s economy are entitled to a decent standard of living, complete with essential services, rather than enduring poverty and neglect.
The event, which was organised by a collaboration of environmental civil society leaders, honored what would have been the 84th birthday of the late environmentalist and human rights activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa.
READ ALSO: Falana slams 3-year jail term for hungry mechanic who stole yam
Saro-Wiwa was executed with eight others three decades ago on controversial charges of treasonable felony before recently receiving a state pardon.
The gathering brought together various figures, including community leaders, activists, and policymakers, who reiterated the urgent demand for environmental justice in the Niger Delta.
In his keynote address, Falana stated that multinational oil corporations have accrued massive profits from Nigeria’s natural wealth while simultaneously rendering host communities in the Niger Delta poor and environmentally ruined.
He pledged to use legal means to force these companies to rectify the damage.
Furthermore, Falana contended that the legal process and subsequent execution of the “Ogoni Nine” were not based on justice but were rather acts of state intimidation.
Other figures at the memorial, such as Nnimmo Bassey, called upon government bodies to ensure that oil companies that fail to comply with regulations are held accountable and that a comprehensive cleanup of Ogoniland is made a top priority.
For the environmental and civil society organizations present, the memory and work of Ken Saro-Wiwa continue to inspire the fight for justice and environmental recovery throughout the Niger Delta.
READ ALSO: Falana urges Obi to seek court protection over Edo governor’s death threat
They issued a stern warning: any consideration of resuming oil production in Ogoniland before a full and extensive cleanup is completed would be a betrayal of the sacrifices made by Saro-Wiwa and his colleagues.
